Making milk tea at home is not only healthier and more affordable, but it also allows you to adjust the tea-to-milk ratio to suit your taste. Here is how to make standard milk tea as well as a healthier version:
Standard Non-Dairy Creamer Milk Tea:
Store-bought milk tea is typically made using black tea bags and non-dairy creamer. The advantages are low cost and a rich milky flavor, while the disadvantages are high calories, less healthy creamer, and lower-quality tea leaves. Because it is easy to prepare, it’s very popular among office workers. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients: Pick up some black tea bags at the supermarket. Common store-bought tea bags come in 60g and 75g packages; a 60g pack is plenty for a small household, with Assam black tea being the best choice. Also, buy some non-dairy creamer. A box of 10 tea bags plus creamer will run you about NT$150 to NT$200.
Brewing the Black Tea: Use about 2,000cc to 3,000cc of water for a 60g pack of tea bags. If you prefer a stronger tea flavor, use 2,000cc of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and let them steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Steeping longer creates a stronger flavor, but it can also increase bitterness, so adjust to your liking.
Mixing Ratio: After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and simply stir in the creamer to serve. You can also chill the black tea in the refrigerator before drinking. If you prefer it sweeter, you can add simple syrup. Note that raw cane sugar (demerara sugar) works best. It’s best to prepare the sugar syrup separately and then add it to the milk tea for a better taste rather than pouring sugar directly into the black tea.
▲For store-bought tea bags, Assam and Ceylon black tea offer a stronger flavor and work best.
Advanced Fresh Milk Tea Recipe:
Non-dairy creamer isn’t the healthiest option. If you want to prepare a healthier milk tea for your family, you can use fresh milk instead. While fresh milk doesn’t yield quite the same intense creamy aroma as creamer, it is much healthier. Here is how to make healthy fresh milk tea:
Ingredients: Buy a 60g pack of black tea bags from the supermarket. Also, get some fresh milk—whole milk is best, as skim milk lacks flavor. A 2-liter bottle should be enough. You will also need some butter and Eagle brand condensed milk to enhance the milky flavor.
Brewing the Black Tea: Boil 2,000cc of water. Once boiling, turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the tea bags. You can chill the tea in the fridge or enjoy it hot.
Fresh Milk Ratio: Heating the fresh milk will make its flavor richer, so warm it up first. You can mix it at a ratio of 2 parts tea to 1 part milk. If you prefer a creamier taste, use a 1:1 ratio. For an extra-rich milky flavor, you can also add a bit of butter and condensed milk.
Adding Simple Syrup: Finally, you can add simple syrup to taste. Keep in mind that condensed milk is already sweet, so be careful not to make it too sweet.
Premium Milk Tea Recipe:
Ordinary milk tea is usually made with tea bags. While inexpensive, the tea leaves are of lower quality. If you are particular about flavor, you can use premium loose-leaf tea instead. For locally grown Taiwanese black tea, Honey Black Tea made from the Qingxin Oolong cultivar and Assam black tea are the most suitable choices.
▲Taiwanese black tea made from Qingxin Oolong and Assam cultivars offers the best flavor, producing a rich and delicious brew.
Ingredients: Purchase loose-leaf black tea from a tea shop. Tea priced at NT$800 or more per 600 g will far exceed the quality of tea bags. Locally produced Taiwanese tea—specifically Qingxin Oolong Honey Black Tea and Assam black tea—is ideal. You will also need whole milk, butter, and condensed milk.
Brewing the Black Tea: Bring 2,000cc of water to a boil, turn off the heat, and add 100g of black tea leaves. Steep for only 3 to 5 minutes before removing the leaves. Using more leaves creates a stronger flavor, and a shorter steeping time prevents bitterness. If you don’t want to waste the spent leaves, you can brew another pot with them, though the flavor will be weaker.
Mixing with Fresh Milk: Slightly warm the whole milk, then mix at a ratio of 2 parts tea to 1 part milk. If you prefer a stronger taste, use a 1:1 ratio. You can also add butter and condensed milk to enhance the creaminess. Finally, add simple syrup to your liking.